Freshman AnnaSophia Gower named OAC Women’s Cross Country Rookie of the Year

By Wes Mayberry

| 2023 OAC Cross Country Awards |

ADA — Ohio Northern freshman AnnaSophia Gower (Perrysburg) was named the Ohio Athletic Conference Women's Cross Country Rookie of the Year for the 2023 season, the league announced on Friday.

Gower put together an outstanding freshman season that culminated with a berth in the NCAA Division III Championships.

She was the first Polar Bear across the finish line in all five of ONU's regular-season meets, finishing in the top six overall in four of them.

Gower's success continued in the postseason, as she placed third overall at the OAC Championships and 10th at the NCAA Great Lakes Regional Championships en route to earning All-Region and First Team All-OAC accolades and qualifying for the national meet.

Her career-best time of 21:11 at the regional meet ranks third all-time at ONU.

She ran a time of 22:40 at the national meet in Newville, Pa., to place 116th in the 293-runner field.

Gower's appearance at the national meet marked the 19th consecutive season that ONU has been represented at the NCAA Championships either by a team or individual in the men's or women's race.